


Co-Dependency

by when_lusii_attack



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Fluff, WIP, Why do I have the compulsive need to make everything angsty, basically the same except bill survives and is tormenting the kids (specially' dipper), post-show, post-show AU, the mental instability being victims of the apocalypse musta caused, there's a lot of focus on the kids readjusting to Piedmont
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-22 23:25:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6097387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/when_lusii_attack/pseuds/when_lusii_attack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-show (very Minor) Au. Bill is defeated, but instead of being killed he's sent back to stay trapped in the mindspace.</p><p>And there are a couple of kids who made it on his bad side.</p><p>Dipper and Mabel dealing with what happened in Gravity Falls, and the aftermath. </p><p>Their parents are worried.</p><p>(Note: it starts from the parents POV, but that's mostly introduction. The real focus is on the kids and shifts to their POV. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Pines will not be abusive like many fics portray, just confused and concerned. So don't worry about that troupe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> !!! Thanks for checking my story out. The FIC is WIP, write-as-I-go and it's not fully hashed out, so bear with me. This story is angst-driven, but the kids will also still be lighthearted dorks. I'll try and keep it balanced!
> 
> THERE WILL BE MORE CHAPTERS IDK WHY ARCHIVE IS BEING A BUTT

Dipper has always been a little off in some ways, he and Mabel both. Two strangely close kids with some bizarre quirks, always a little too loud or a little too talkative.

Their parents love them for it.

Yet when they came back from Gravity Falls, both twins seemed more strange, a little scared. The kids had always been close, but now they had attached themselves at the hip, spending every day making sure their sibling was okay, was still with them.

Dipper sleeping in Mabel's room has become a common occurrence, crashed out on her floor while she rests a comforting hand on his shoulder while he sleeps. Sometimes one of them wakes up screaming and the other is found in their bed, providing protection.

They both deny that anything bad happened during their vacation, and a call to Stan only leads to more denial.

Mabel seemed perfectly fine at first, her blaring optimism so bright it blinds anyone to the problems hidden behind her smile. But Mr. And Mrs. Pines know their daughter well, almost as well as Dipper knows her, and they can see through the cracks.

Dipper's stress is more obvious. He's never been as good at hiding things, his paranoia getting in the way of his rationality, making his fear much more transparent when his family presses. He's looking over his shoulder more than he ever has before, and the words "trust no one, no one but her" have escaped his lips on more than one occasion.

Both of them have seen him talk to himself. They've seen him get into arguments with someone that isn't there.

Their concerned family discussions, poking and prodding recieve no results. A smile from Mabel, a roll of the eyes from Dipper, a shrug from the both of them blows off their questions, the kids acting as if nothing is wrong. As if the troubles don't exist, as if they have to lie.

Something's wrong. They don't know what, but something happened in Gravity Falls.

————————————————————

"Mrs. Pines? Something is wrong with your son, we need you to come down to the school immedie-"

"Yes. I'm on my way."

The call is ended before the speaker could even finish their sentence, the concerned mother booking it to the car right away. One have on the wheel, the other calling her husband.

Both parents show up at the same time, shoving past the crowd of people to the office, eyes going wide when they hear the news.

The school psychologist leads them there, speaking as she moves.  
"Your son- he got himself locked into the bathroom. When uh- when we finally got to him. Well, he was in hysterics. He won't let anyone near him-- he actually- uh-" she gestures to a nearby security guard, who is swearing quietly as he bandages an arm covered in bite marks. "Has Dipper had these breakdowns in the past?"

"No he- he hasn't. This has never happened before." The Pines turn, staring at each other with fear-filled eyes. "Never."

"I see."

_Something happened in Gravity Falls._

It shatters her heart when the bathroom door is pushed open, revealing Dipper inside. Curled up on the floor, tile and wall scribbled over with sharpie, runes and words that make no sense scrawled a fuss the surface. All of its nonsensical except for one circled phrase.

"Trust no one."

He's shaking, looking much smaller than he usually does, trembling hands pulling on the ears of his hat, trying to hide his face.

He looks up when his parents approach, but instead of looking relieved like they expected, his face twists into a disturbed expression.

"N-no! Not them! Leave them alone!"

"Dipper? Dipper it's us. You have to come ou-"

"You said you'd leave them alone! You p-promised! Their eyes- oh god--"

"Dipper- Dipper what's wrong? Dipper it's us sweetie-" she takes a step closer, only for Dipper to bare his teeth at her, hands balled into small fists and raised in defense.

"Stay away from me! Leave them alone- get out of them _Bill_ _!"_

He curls up in a ball once more, mumbling his sisters name like a plea, and she can feel her heart breaking. They stand in shock, their own son in some horrible fit, silent until her husband speaks up.

"Get Mabel."

The school physiologist- Mrs. Kelly, she believes- looks up at her husband. "His sister? You think she'll-"

"Yes. Go get her."

She nods, rushing out of the room.

Waiting is unbearable, watching as Dipper continues to shake, only looking up for a brief second, before a look of terror returns as soon as he sees their eyes.

They jump when Mabel bursts into the bathroom, panting like she'd run for miles.

Her eyes land on Dipper, and she nods, as if she'd seen it before. She's scared, a mother can tell, but Mabel can put on the best brave face.

She stares him down, approaching him slowly. He stares back.

His eyes water, "No- not Mabel---"

She interrupts him. "You're right Bro-Bro, not Mabel. He doesn't have me. _Bill_ \--"

It's twice they've heard that name. _Bill._

"Isn't here. He's messing with your head again. He's not here."

He shakes his head, shrinking back further. "You're lying."

She sighs, "No. He is." She steps closer, and he bears his teeth once more, but she doesn't flinch. A hand lands on his shoulder, the other grabbing his face, making him stare at her.

"Look into my eyes. LOOK. I'm not Bill. They aren't Bill. You're safe. He's gone."

He stares at her in silence, before relief creeps across his face and tears spill over his cheeks. "Mabel?"

She smiles, and tears seem to threaten her as well. "You got it Dippingsauce. It's okay now."

Small arms are thrown across her neck, and they hug. He uncurls himself and they leave the bathroom, Dipper clinging onto her like she's his only tether to reality.

They hug their kids, and both of her twins are shaking.

She might be shaking, too.

Dipper gets sent to the nurse, scratch marks being discovered by his twin, and they go together.

She grimaces at the next thing to be said.

"Have you considered therapy? Medication?"

Her husband speaks first. "This has never happened before."

Mrs. Kelly looks at him doubtfully, but doesn't press it. "I see. Well, if it's a problem of cost, we have alternatives here."

"He doesn't need--"

"Your son just had a psychotic break. He attacked a security guard, locked himself away, scribbled all over the walls and began what I could assume to be hallucinating. Judging by the scratches on his arm, Self-mutilation is a possibility as well. He seems to be incredibly dependent on his sister, and to be honest, she seems to be dependent on him as well."

Her husband opens up his mouth to speak once more, but the woman raises her hand, cutting him off.

"This also isn't the first sign of mental illness. Your son seems to have problems making friends with other kids, and sticks to his sister like glue. While being an excellent student and is known for his quiet behavior, he has had outbursts in class; like snapping at other kids, mild anxiety attacks and once he fell asleep during class and woke up screaming." She grimaced at this, and Mrs. pines understood, the bags under Dipper's eyes are enough to make anyone concerned.

" While both kids have told us that they have no issues at home--" she pauses for a moment, looking both of them over, as if she were judging them as they sat. "Both have shown signs of PTSD. Dipper especially. Mabel thrives socially, but she too has had her outbursts, and she too has had times where nothing can separate her from her brother. Though nothing ever to this extent.

She clears her throat, then grabs a pamphlet, handing it to Mr. Pines. "See if you can get help for your child, and if either of you two need to speak to someone about this further, feel free to contact me."

————————————————————

Both kids fell asleep in the car, leaving the ride home eerily silent. Mrs. Pines looks over the pamphlet with a sigh, glancing over at her husband, who drove in stony silence. Her gaze travelled back to her kids, leaning on each other in the back seat. What hurt them so badly? For the most part, they seemed perfectly fine. But Dippers outburst.... It scared her.

It seemed to really scare him too.

They carry the kids to bed, and she sets Dipper down next to Mabel instead of his own bed, knowing he'll end up there anyway.

She slips downstairs, sighing as she looks over at Dipper's papers of suspension. He's going to be so distraught when he finds out.

She stops when she sees her husband, angrily tapping his foot as he waits for someone to pick up the phone, when she hears the distinct voice of her uncle blare out from the speaker.

"Gravity falls Mystery shack! Home Of the most mysterious mysteries! How may I take your mone- ahem- help you?"

Her husband's tone is cold and demanding.

"What the HELL happened to my kids?"

 

 

————————————————————

 

  
"Ow! Dipper!"

Mabel sits up, turning her gaze on her brother, who'd attached himself to her arm in his sleep, nails digging into her forearm like she's about to be ripped away from him. Her expression softens, and she nudges him awake.

He sits up slowly, small fists rubbing at eyes lined with dark circles.

"Mabel? What happened? Why are we home?"

"...you don't remember, do you?"

He shakes his head, looking anxious. "No- I. Crap. What did I do?"

She pauses, rubbing at the sleeve of her sweater nervously. "You had one of your..."

"Breakdowns." He states, as if it's  completely normal, a repeated occurrence.

  
"...yeah. I'm sorry Dipper. They didn't come and get me right away. You kinda got suspended---"

"Suspended?!" He cringes, his voice cracking as he blurts out the word, looking distraught. "I'm not- I've never been suspended!"

She frowns, giving her brother comforting pat on the shoulder. "I know Bro-Bro. You don't typically, uh, attack security guards or scribble all over the bathroom walls. Magic stuff. You also- uh, were seeing Bill again. I had to calm you down... Mom and Dad couldn't-"

"MOM AND DAD SAW?!"

"...yeah. I mean, they woulda found out anyway broseph--"

He groans, letting his head fall on her shoulder. "Yeah, I know. But they /saw/. I mean, how do we explain that?" His tone shifts, turning sarcastic. "Hey mom, over the summer we became mortal enemies with an all powerful dream demon who once possessed me, so know he takes every opportunity he can get to make my life suck! Good luck findin' pills for that!"

Mabel snorts, playfully slugging him in the arm. "Shut up, it'll be okay. They'll know you aren't coo-coo bonkers, it's the school you gotta worry bout'. They want you seeing the psychologist and stuff."

"Seriously?! How bad was it?"

"Pretty bad. Last time it was that bad it was after the nightmare.. You know... That one."

He grimaces, nodding in response. It's silent for a moment, the twins enjoying just being in each other's presence, a feeling of safety enveloping them both. He sighs, disrupting the unusually peaceful quiet.

"We should go downstairs, huh? See Mom and Dad." He rubs his arms, feeling the bandages covering his scratches, the sticker covered gauze obviously the work of Mabel.

"Yeah. Or we could make a blanket fort and you could read that new book we got for a while?"

He smiles, the tension in his shoulders visibly loosening. "Yeah. That sounds better. I'll get the pillows!"

"I have summerween candy under my bed!"

"Mabel- gross! It's old!"

She snorts, pushing him aside, snacking him in the face with a pillow. "More for me then!" He smacks her back, and they both burst into a fit of giggles, sweeping every issue aside to have fun with their twin.

They're going to be okay.

Even if their parents don't think so.

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me???? UPLOAD A CHAPTER 2???? IMPOSSIBLE
> 
> Wow I wasn't expecting like any positive feedback, tysm! I have a decent idea where k want to go with this, but getting there is hard.
> 
> Ty for readin guys!

"NO! 'NOTHING' ISN'T AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER, STAN!"

Two brunette heads snap up from their game, muscles tensing up as they hear an angry shout downstairs.

They exchange a look, and Dipper takes Mabel's hand, leading her downstairs. They stop at the base of, peering around the corner as they eavesdrop on their father's conversation.

"Don't give me that 'you can't talk about it' shit, Stan, because that's crap and you know it."

The twins share a glance, unsure how to step in, instead hiding back while the two men go back and forth, Grunkle Stan's gruff voice distorted through the receiver.

"Look- I need to know what happened. My daughter is having nightmares, she's losing sleep. Mabel doesn't lose sleep, and you know it. My son had a PSYCHOTIC BREAK TODAY AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW--"

A string of curses is heard on the other end, before Dipper can hear the words "Another one?"

A lump forms in his throat. Oh no.

His dad stammers, looking shellshocked. "Th-This has happened before? I swear to God Stan if you DID ANYTHING TO MY KIDS--"

"Wait!" Mabel jumps from behind the corner, finally interrupting. "Grunkle Stan didn't do anything wrong!"

"Mabel? What-" his voice is cut off as he spots Dipper, who was peering out from behind the corner, a hand still gripping the sleeve of Mabel's sweater.

Stan's voice can be heard. "Are those the kids? Lemme talk to em'!"

Their Dad ignores him, dropping the phone as he rushes over to Dipper, letting Mabel sweep in and grab the phone, speaking softly and quickly.

Dipper stares at his Dad while he looks over his arms, carefully inspecting the bandages. Firm hands placed on his shoulders, grabbing his attention.

"You're awake. Howya feelin, kiddo?" His voice is soft, but his anxiety is clear. He looks at Dipper like he's going to break, full of concern and caution.

Dipper doesn't know if that makes him feel better or worse.

"I've uh, been better. Mabel filled me in on everything." He chuckles nervously, looking down at the floor. "It's no big deal."

His dad sighs, shaking his head, "don't tell me it's not a big deal, you and your sister both can't hide this."

"It was nothing! I swear! I just- I saw some creepy stuff when I was in Gravity Falls, that's all."

"That's not the whole truth, Dipper."

He fidgets, knowing well and good he can't dodge out of this one.

"Did Stan hurt you? You know you can tell us--"

"NO! No no no of course not! Dad- he's kinda crazy," he snorts, using the word rather loosely, "but Grunkle Stan was great to us, I promise."

His father looks dubious at first, but then nods. If both kids insist he didn't, including Dipper- who's a terrible liar- then there's a good chance Stan isn't the cause.

"Then what happened?"

Dipper sighs, pulling at his bandages anxiously, "uh, long story..."

————————————————————

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel's voice is low as her dad rushes to Dipper's side, but her excitement can still be heard.

"Hey, sweetie. What happened? Is your brother okay?" He sounds gruff and uncaring, but Mabel can tell when he's trying too hard to be aloof. In a different situation, she might have teased him for it.

However, her features shift, a small frown on her lips. "They're really pressing now Stan. I don't--" she glances too her father, but he seems too wrapped up in Dipper to overhear her conversation. "Know what to tell them. Neither does Dipper. We were hiding it pretty okay but then..."

"Dipper had one of his breakdowns."

"Yeah. It was really bad this time, he got violent and all he was seeing was Bill. I had to snap him out of it, but Mom and Dad and a bunch of kids from school at this point know about it."

"Yeesh, that sounds rough." Mabel can picture him, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Know what triggered it?"

"No. Haven't asked yet. Was going to, then we heard dad yelling at you."

"Yeah-" he snorts, "thanks for pulling me out of that one. You kids haveta tell them something soon, you know that?"

She sighs, twirling the chord around her finger, "yeah, I know. We just..." She glances back at Dipper, "don't know how to tell them."

"You'll figure it out! You're related to me! Twist the truth a little, make it easy on em'. You're gonna be a better con-man, uh, con-woman than me someday!"

She laughs at this, rolling her eyes. "Pffff- you're crazy, I already am!"

"Thin Ice, sweetie. Watch over your brother for me, okay?"

She says her goodbyes to Stan, hanging up the phone before her father can notice and try to get a hold of Stan again. Stan can't give them answers, as much as he and the twins want to, it has to come from them.

Mabel just doesn't know how to tell them.

————————————————————

"What did you tell him?"

Dipper looks up from his book, he and his sister back at the fort they built either, returned to their room hastily after their dad went to "discuss" with mom.

"Er, bits and pieces of it." He chews on his pen, thoughtful. "Not the whole truth."

She folds her hands under her chin, and he shrugs, "told him I started having nightmares again, so, you know, I didn't lie about that, I've always had them. Cuz' of the nightmares, I started seeing creepy stuff around the woods and I'm just 'still a little jumpy'."

She nods, accepting this. "Makes sense, I guess. What about the whole breakdown and B-"

"I didn't." He cuts her off before she can finish, he's grown to hate that name, the chills sends running down his spine. "Not really. I said that I was being stupid and went a few days without sleep, and at your puppet show I fell from the riser and hit my head pretty hard, went under for a few days." He sighs, that wasn't entirely untrue either, he got pretty beat up after the sock opera, stayed asleep for 3 days.

"I told him that's when the breakdowns started. I also told him Stan sent me to the hospital, made him seem responsible and all that."

"And the apocalypse?"

He shakes his head, "No. No one seems to know what happened in Gravity falls, I don't know if it's cuz of the shield or just because the town is so unknown, but Dad doesn't know, so he doesn't have to know."

She nods, looking unusually pensive. "Did he believe all of it."

"Uh, not entirely. I think he believes what I said but he knows it isn't the whole truth. He thinks the nightmares are why I've also been so... er, well-"

"Clingy?" She snorts, nudging him with her elbow.

He blushes a little, stammering, "Mabel! I was going to say Co-dependent, I haven't been clingy!"

She rolls her eyes in response, "drop the tough-guy act Bro-Bro, you've been totally clingy. But before you get all hurt, I don't mind, I'd rather you be clingy than feeling all lonely again."

He sighs, holding his hands up in defeat before a small smile creeps on his face, "fine, fine. I suppose you're right."

There's a few minutes of peaceful silence, before Mabel cuts into it with an unusually serious tone.

"Dipper...what happened?"

"With what?" He bites his lip, knowing well and good what she's trying to bring up.

"They don't really happen unless something triggers it. What happened?"

He opens his mouth to speak, then shakes his head, looking at the floor instead of her.  
"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Dipper." She grabs his shoulders, making him meet her gaze. "You promised you'd tell me, it's me for gosh sakes. You can tell me anything."

He hesitates a moment, then nods.

"Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao proofreading is for squares ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯   
> Please leave comments I'm thirsty for praise


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know where I wanna go with this its just getting there that's messin me up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be completely honest with you guys this is the first time I've ever updated a chapter 3  
> I'm dead ass proud of myself I've abandoned so many fics but wow 3 chapters go me

"I'll kill them!"

"Mabel! Don't you think you're overreacting?!" Dipper cringes, watching his sister pace back and forth, small hands clenched into shaking fists. Mabel Pines has a long list of things she'll tolerate, but bullying does not make the list. Especially when Dipper is involved.

She swivels to face him, and man, if looks could kill. "Overreacting?! DIPPER!" She flails her arms wildly, unable to contain her anger, she smacks the nearest glass, letting it smash against the ground, glass scattering across the floor, making Dipper jump back. "I'M NOT OVERREACTING!"

She starts to pace again, and Dipper steps back, a little nervously, and sits on the bed.

This isn't the first time, Dipper isn't the only one to have fits; But her fits are different, emotion and passion so intense she has to get physical. Anger that burns her chest and time and patience are the only things that can put out the flames. Frustration causes her to pull at her hair, tugging at the strands as if that could change what she could not. A fist meets the wall, causing small cracks to spiderweb on the drywall, her knuckles red and dusty.

"Mmabphel- blech-" he spits the collar of his shirt out, a nasty habit he still hasn't kicked whenever he's tired or nervous. "Mabel, look at me."

She turns to him, and history is always repeating itself. One twin dysfunctional, the other level headed; bringing the other down from a fit of despair. "Toxically co-dependent", bullshit. They need each other.

"It's okay Mabel, I'm fine. It's over, and nothing can be done about it. You wanna sit down?" He pats the bed next to him, and her breathing slows from the hyperventilate it was, and she's simmering down. Her shoulders relax, and the tension leaves her body, but she doesn't look happy still, instead defeated.

She hesitates, then sits down next to him, leaning a head on his shoulder. "Sorry. Got a little out of hand there."

He shrugs in response. "It's okay, I think we both get a little out of hand sometimes."

She nods, staying quiet for only moment before speaking up again. "But I'm still angry." She states, tugging at the sleeves of her sweater. "What they did wasn't okay."

"It's not a big deal."

She scoffs, "yes it is, dumb dumb. Did you tell anyone?"

"....no."

"Dipper!"

"What? It's not like I had the opportunity to do anything about it! It happened and then I- well you know what happened."

"So they 100% caused it?"

"Yeah- no!" He fumbles, tugging on the ears of his hat, ashamed. "They just said some stuff that triggered it, they couldn't have known."

"Like what?" She frowns, shouldering him, making him meet her gaze.

\----------------

 

_"What's up freakface?!"_

_Oh God._

_He looks up from his book, sitting outside his next class, one of the only classes he doesn't share with Mabel, meaning this couldn't be poorer timing._

_3 kids stand over him, and he recognizes 2 older boys from his grade school days, a couple years older and both knowing of his birthmark. The one they used to torment him about. Great._

_"Welcome to highschool, Dork. Hey, I hear you have Ms. Cardellini. Which means you have her homework, which means you have her homework for me."_

_Dipper quirks his brow, blurting out the first clever (and stupid) thing he can think of. "You're a junior and you're still failing Algebra 1? I'm having trouble being intimidated by someone who manages to be dumber than a box of rocks."_

_He is, however, intimidated when 3 boys manage to pick his scrawny ass up by the arms and drag him into the nearest bathroom. Intimidated when his head is held over the nearest toilet. Yikes._

_"Give us the homework, retard!"_

_"You know, this entire thing feels kinda cliche, doesn't it? Homework- toilet bowl. Feels like it'd be in like an 80s movie or... I dunno- some teenage girl's fanfiction." He laughs, but the sound gives away his nerves, well-aware that he's digging his own grave._

_He really needs to watch his mouth, wincing as his face is shoved closer to the nasty water, his arms gripping the sides as he tries to prevent himself from being shoved in._

_The bully, Eric, snorts, his voice cruel. "You know what I hate about people like you? You think you're so much smarter than everyone else, but without all that dork stuff you'd be worthless."_

**_Face it, kid! Without those journals you're worthless!_ **

_Dipper cringes, shaking at a memory he doesn't want to remember, and the bully laughs._

_"Now he's scared. Look, I'll give you to the count of 3 to promise the homework, or else your face is gonna be soaked in pisswater, got it? **Tick tock, Kid**!"_

_The rest is foggy._

_He remembers screaming, tearing from someone's grip and swinging at someone's face, the sound of a fist cracking against a jaw._

_Locking up the bathroom door while a group of kids rush to a teacher, claiming he's "freaking out- just started screaming and babbling- he hit Eric- a total freak!"_

_He remembers writing on the walls, but he doesn't remember what._

_He remembers curling up on the floor while someone pounds on the door; and he vaguely remembers his teeth sinking into someone's flesh, and nails taking down his own arms. Pain is hilarious._

_He doesn't remember anything else, not until Mabel came and cleared the haze._

\------------------------

"Any word from Grunkle Stan, by the way? When's he going back offshore?"

"You can't just change the subject!"

Dipper sighs, "it was nothing Mabel, really. They just said some things that reminded me of him and I just- flipped out. If it makes you feel better, I think I got one of them in the jaw pretty hard."

She huffs, folding her arms over her chest, before begrudgingly she nods. "It does; and no. He's gonna stay back at the shack for a while while Great-uncle Ford looks into some stuff that might help with what's going on with us."

"Some stuff?"

She shrugs. "Dunno, some nerd thing. He has like a billion Doctor-certificates-"

"PH.D.s, Mabel."

She laughs, looking more like her old self. "Whatever! Same difference. Point is, he might be able to help with the spooky dreams."

"Whatever you say, dummy."

"You're the dummy!"

Dinner is tense, Dipper finds out that he's suspended for a week and when he returns, he has weekly counseling sessions.

Great.

The twins return to their respective rooms, crashing not long after they do so, wiped out from the day's events.

Sleep provides no comfort from the exhaustion.

**"Hey there shooting star! Did you miss me?"**  
**"Hey there pine tree! Did you miss me?"**

**"Thought you could get rid of me, huh? NOT IN THE MINDSCAPE, KID! A tangible body may be gone, but I'll always be here in your nightmares! We're going to have lots of fun after you RUINED EVERYTHING FOR ME."**

**"Sweet dreams, shooting star! This might be your last night of restful sleeping!"**  
**"Sweet dreams, pine tree! This might be your last night of restful sleeping!"**

  
Both twins wake up screaming.

 

 

  
_245542773887633_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha I'm so sorry
> 
> I know the chapters are short i honestly have no clue what im doing


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is proofreading lmao
> 
> there's a post floating around tumblr about Mabel drifting from reality and I was like "huh I could use that"  
> Also sorry it's been like a month since ive updatED MUSE WORKS IM MYSTERIOUS WAYS

"Your parents said that a lot of your troubles started after summer vacation, do you want to talk about that?"

"No."

The school psychologist pursed her lips, but kept her tone pleasant, remaining ever so patient. She knows it isn't easy for kids to open up, especially more introverted ones, and so she moves on to a new subject.

"What about your sister? You two seem to be really close, why don't you tell me about her."

Dipper is silent for a moment, seeming like he's going to give her another one word answer, when he speaks up. "She's my best friend."

"I see. I understand, I'm very close to my sister as well-"

"Not as close as we are."

The kid is guarded, and his body language screaming that he wants to leave, be anywhere but there, but he doesn't move. His knees are curled to his chest, and he refuses to make eye contact with her. Dipper has been through something, he and his sister both. The new, darker rings under his eyes and tired expression, even more tired than usual, only makes her worry more.

"I'm sure. You get along really well. I noticed Mabel has other friends, do you have any other peers you can talk to? Sometimes it's good to have more than one ear."

"No."

She holds back a sigh, that's certainly not healthy. "Do you have trouble making friends, Dipper? It's okay, a lot of kids your age do-"

"I don't want to talk about it." Just keep refusing.

"...right. How about we talk about what happened a week ago, ho-"

"Let's not."

"Dipper, I know it's hard, but you can talk to me. Let's make a deal, huh? I'll-"

His head snaps up, and for the first time he makes eye contact with her, his pupils blown out with fear.

"What did you just say?"

She blinks, taken aback by the sudden intensity in him. "I- uh-" she stammers, before recovering. Obviously she triggered something with what she said, she'll take note of that. "I asked if you'd talk to me about it."

His shoulders relax a little, but he's still tense. "No."

"Does Mabel know what happened?"

He nods. "Of course."

"Your parents say you've been having nightmares lately, do you want to talk about that?"

Dipper glances at the clock, and she can see him tense up at the time, 20 minutes left, he's still in here for a while. "They're nothing new. Can I go?"

**_"Haha! You embarrassed of me, Pine Tree?"_ **

He winces. She doesn't know why.

She shakes her head, "No Dipper, you need to stay for a little while longer. I won't make you do anything you don't want to do, but try and talk to me. Do you want to talk about the nightmares?"

"I can talk to Mabel."

She sighs. "Don't you think that that can get overwhelming for her sometimes?"

"Mabel can talk to me, too."

"I see. Does Mabel get nightmares, as well?"

He winces. Shaking his head, he stares at the floor before responding, "not typically, more so lately."

**_"Jee, I wonder why that is!"_ **

"Why do you say that? Has something happened?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Dipper--"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!"

He jumps out of his seat, and she can't help but flinch back, his expression full of anger and frustration and defeat. He shakes, fists clenching at his sides, and she opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted by him again, venom in his typically quiet voice.

"How many TIMES do I have to SAY IT? You won't understand! NO ONE WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED." He begins to pace back and forth, fingers running through the knots in his hair and tugging at the strands. "No one will- will understand what I DID. All the times I messed up and- and trusted who I shouldn't have trusted so many p-people got hurt b-because of me because I was s-so stupid--"

He's trembling now, words spilling out of his mouth before he can stop himself. "I let him hurt me, I let him hurt Mabel. I spent so much time being scared of him- running and hiding and making STUPID mistakes like the idiot I was and now- now I can't sleep. I can't sleep because he'll be there l-laughing at me and hurting her again and I can't do anything to stop it because I was so w-weak."

Tears spill down his cheeks, and she's frozen, unable to react as he breaks down in front of her, screaming things she doesn't understand.

"A-and the fits, the stupid fits that only prove what a freak I am, the fits that he causes that only get worse because he's still THERE. All of this because I was so dumb- so stupid and selfish and irresponsible all of this because I let him in. And I know that we won- I know that it's over but I'm still so scared."

He sinks to the floor, wiping away the tears in vain as more flow, sniffling and hiccuping with loud cries she never could have expected. She's silent for a while- too long of a while, before she kneels down beside him, holding out a tissue. He takes it, wiping away the tears that continue to run.

"Dipper..." She pauses, her voice gentle and full of concern, "what happened?"

**_"You really wanna look that crazy?"_ **

He shakes his head, looking up at her with teary eyes, "I can't tell you."

**_"Predictable."_ **

\--------

Everything is so damn _pink._

Bright, vivid colors creep in the edges of her vision, and she rubs her eyes, wincing a little. Reality stinks sometimes, but losing touch of it is even worse.

**_"You really think you could beat me, kid? I'M IMMORTAL. No- you're fragile mind couldn't handle being trapped in that bubble, and now you're pretending you've escaped. I get it, but I gotta say that I thought you were stronger than that, shooting star."_ **

Bill's words from previous nightmares linger in her mind, and she's lost sleep.

She's in reality. (She hopes.)

There's no way shes not in reality, right? He has to be lying. The world around her is real, not some trick made up by Bill.

He has to be lying.

"Mabel... Mabel- Mabel!"

"Hm?!" Fingers snap in front of her face, and she jumps from her trance. A group of girls surround her, some friends, some something else, "classmates" is the nicest way to describe them.

Zayna, a friend from elementary school, frowns. "You okay? You seem really out of it."

She doesn't know the half of it.

"I'm fine!" She gives her a signature smile, "just a little tired, that's all."

_Were the walls always this sparkly?_

Zayna shoots her a skeptical look, but doesn't press the issue much further, instead shifting the topic. "How's Dipper doing? I heard he came back today?"

Before she gets a chance to respond, Destiny scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Right, that. What's it like living with that for a brother? I heard he like, went crazy and started seeing things."

Mabel fumes. Is the world really on fire? Or is it just the bubble seeping in?

_She looks uglier than usual. And her hair is made of snakes._

"He didn't go crazy, and he's FINE." She scowls at the other girl, fist tightening around the pen in her hand.

The girl snorts. "Whatever, I don't think I could handle being related to a freak."

_The snakes are hissing, venom is dripping from extended fangs._ They snap at her, as aggressive as the tone in Destiny's voice.

"My brother isn't a freak." Her voice is dangerous, and she can see Zayna in the corner of her eye, recognizing that tone. She looks scared, worried.

_The flames aren't dying down. They're burning hotter._

"Pfft, right. If you say so. Of course, being weird is normal in your family, right? You would think that little breakdown is perfectly norm-"

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Mabel lunges across the lunch table, tackling the other girl to the ground, holding her to the ground and raising her fist.

_The world is **BURNING.**_

Arms wrap around her torso.

_The snakes are hissing._

There's a crack of her fist meeting her eye. Her knuckles throb.

_Are the walls made of soap and water?_

A strong grip, the arms of Zayna pull her away. Destiny is throwing a fit.

_Destiny's face is covered in imperfections, twisted, horrifying. Ugly as her personality._

"Mabel- MABEL! Calm down- speak to me!" She doesn't realize she's crying, angry tears streaming town her face, her knuckles raw and aching from a solid hit.

_Is she really there? Or is she still stuck in a bubble with walls pink and made of water, water and soap._

"Get Dipper!"

It's always Dipper who brings her back to reality. He gives her the needle to burst the bubble, and she tears Bill away from his dreams.

**"Jeez, Shooting Star! I thought you were the one who made friends, not beat them up! Did you forget how to be nice when you got stuck in that illusion of yours? Or have you've always been this AGGRESSIVE?"** Shut up shut up SHUT UP.

They need each other.

They're co-dependent.

  
\----------

Stan sighs, hanging up the phone and rubbing his eyes. He's not exactly happy to be getting angry calls from his niece and nephew-in-law, and part of him just wants to grab Ford and avoid them by going out to sea early, but he can't do that. That wouldn't be fair to the kids, or their parents. He owes them something, an explanation or a story that's somewhat true (but mostly false).

"Hey Sixer?" He opens the door to his study- "oh Christ- Ford, what are you doing?"

Ford, who is currently sitting cross-legged on the floor, looks up from his pile of books and mess of papers. There's some sort of sizzling goo stuck to his face, and the tips of his hair are scorched from what smells like a chemical fire.

"Science stuff, Stanley!" God, his brother is such a dork. But the grin he wears- and the fact that it's directed at himself- is timeless, so he lets the overwhelming weirdness slide.

"Uh-huh. Sure thing, Poindexter, just, try not to hurt yourself."

"No promises." Stan scoffs, and Ford grins a little too smugly for such an old nerd. "Anyway, what do you need?"

Stan's mood shifts, Ford can tell, and he tenses. Stan's pretty happy nowadays, so if he's distressed, something's wrong.

"I just got a call from the kids parents- again."

"Oh? Are they still having trouble? I was worried about-"

Stan interrupts him, blurting out "Mabel gave a girl in her class a real shiner today."

"Well- that doesn't seem too bad!" He adjusts his glasses, clamping a hand on Stan's shoulder in reassurance, "she also punched out a unicorn! She's pretty aggressive, and strong-headed, just like you. I don't see what-"

"She was hallucinating."

Stan looks at Ford- who freezes. "She what?"

"Yeah. The brat was making fun of Dipper- and you know how that kid feels so intensely already- but about her brother--" Ford nods, understanding. "Her emotions boiled over, and she went into a sort of panic mode. Dipper told me she apparently has been struggling with reality- feeling disassociated-"

Ford raises his eyebrows.

He snorts. "I know what that word means, Sixer, I read." His brother raises his hands in apology, then beckons for him to continue.

"Er, yeah. Disassociated, like she's still stuck in the bubble Bill imprisoned her in. I guess it started after- well..."

"Well, what?"

"Look, Ford, have you been getting nightmares about Bill lately?"

"Of course!"

Stan sputters, "and you didn't think to tell me?!"

Ford pulls a face, confused. "They never stopped. It's not like he's actually in my dreams-" he knocks on his head, and Stan cringes at the metallic sound. His brother can be a real nutjob sometimes- endearingly so, but still. "I've got that plate, remember?"

Stan frowns, thoughtful, nodding. "So just, normal nightmares?"

"Of course- why do you ask?"

"Because he's been in mine too. And I ain't much of a dreamer- you know that, I sleep like a rock."

Fords expression darkens, "it could be the same thing. Nightmares from what happened-"

"The kids have been getting em' too. And he's tellin them the exact same thing. That he's back or something-"

"Maybe it's just a coincid-"

Stan shakes his head, "I... I don't think so Ford. I don't want to believe it either, but all of us are getting them and- well. The kids are hearing him when they're awake too."

Ford's eyes widen. "W-when they're awake?"

"Occurring to them, yeah. I'm getting really worried- they're getting more stressed and closed off. Dipper had to see a therapist for christs sake--"

Ford stays silent, eyes wide with shock. There's a moment of stillness- broken when he suddenly moves, reaching for his notes and an empty briefcase, stuffing them inside. He grabs a case from under his desk, and turns towards the stairs. "Sorry to say that we aren't going on the ship just yet, Stan."

Stan blinks, "what are you talking about, Sixer?"

"I can't believe I've been putting this off for so long- im being selfish. I'm a goddamn doctor and I've studied Bill for several years. If anyone can help them, it's me." He slams his case shut, turning to face Stan. "If they're hearing him while awake- things have gotten bad. Looks like We're going to Piedmont."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >ford is a dork  
> >Destiny is based on a girl who bullied me in 8th grade  
> >fuck u destiny
> 
> I'm trying to make this fic a little light hearted in some ways, tho right now the majority is angst. Expect fluff in the next chapter !!!!
> 
> Also I'd like to add that every one of your comments and kudos means the WORLD to me and brightens my day. Thank you so much. ♥️

**Author's Note:**

> I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO WRITE WHAT IS PROOFREADING LMAO ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> Ty for reading! Comments are always adored! ❤️


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